Universidade Licungo

Faculdade de Letras e Humanidades

Honour’s Degree in English Language Teaching with Minor in Portuguese

Aleixo Domingos Caetano

English Language Teachers’ Challenges Using

Communicative Language Approach during COVID-19: A
Case Study of Coalane Secondary School

Quelimane

2021
 Aleixo Domingos Caetano

English Language Teachers’ Challenges Using Communicative

Language Approach during COVID-19: A Case Study of Coalane
Secondary School

Dissertation submitted to the English Course in the

Faculty of Letters and Humanities for attainment of
honour’s degree in English Language Teaching
with Minor in Portuguese

Supervised by M.A: Elias Alfredo Chichango

Quelimane

2021
Contents

1. CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION AND CONTEXTUALIZATION.......................................3

1.1. Introduction.......................................................................................................................3

1.2. Research topic...................................................................................................................4

1.3. Delimitation of the topic...................................................................................................4

1.4. Statement of the problem..................................................................................................4

1.5. Objectives..........................................................................................................................5

1.5.1. General objective.......................................................................................................5

1.5.2. Specific objectives......................................................................................................5

1.6. Research questions............................................................................................................6

1.7. Rationale of the study.......................................................................................................6

2. CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW.................................................................................7

2.1. The teaching and learning process in Mozambique during COVID-19 times..................7

2.2. The Communicative Language Teaching Approach........................................................8

2.2.1. Principles of the Communicative Approach..............................................................9

2.2.2. CLT approach classroom activities.........................................................................10

2.2.3. The Communicative Language Teaching Approach in Times of COVID-19..........10

2.3. Using technologic devices in promoting CLT approach activities.................................12

3. CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGIES....................................................................................14

3.1. Research methodologies.................................................................................................14

3.1.1. Qualitative method...................................................................................................14

3.1.2. Descriptive method..................................................................................................15

3.1.3. Analytical method....................................................................................................15

3.1.4. Data collection instruments and techniques............................................................15

3.1.5. Universe...................................................................................................................16
 3.1.6. Sample......................................................................................................................16

3.1.7. Procedures...............................................................................................................17

3.1.8. Ethical issues...........................................................................................................17

3.1.9. Resources.................................................................................................................18

3.2. Budget.............................................................................................................................18

3.3. Chronogram....................................................................................................................18

4. References..............................................................................................................................19
 3

1. CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION AND CONTEXTUALIZATION

1.1. Introduction
Language is one of the most important parts of human life that cannot be left apart since it is the
tool that connects people and makes them understand each other sharing thoughts, feelings,
ideas, experiences, and cultural values. English as the most influential language worldwide, has
to be taught since it became a basic and important skill. English is used in many countries to
communicate about their trades, political issues, business, and others. Nevertheless, learning this
language may be challenging for second language learners and the teachers as well. To master
English, the learners must master four major language skills, namely speaking, listening, writing
and reading, which can be effectively acquired using communicative activities in the classroom.

As a foreign language in Mozambique, English is not often easy to teach or to learn. Since it was
introduced here, the teacher and the learners frequently face challenges. In this case, the teacher
must make a great effort to fulfil the learners’ needs due to many factors such as lack of
materials to supply the lessons and many other local factors. This pandemic era brought by the
new Coronavirus has raised new challenges to the world, and it carries massive impacts on lots
of components of people’s lives, as well as in education. So, teachers’ creativity becomes vital in
these times. The teachers have to be adaptable to the fast changes that the world took.

The teachers are called to find ways of maintaining the well-known approach for teaching
language (communicative approach) for language teaching and learning. They are meant to
implement new strategies and technological solutions to maintain social distancing and at the
same time give changes for the students to interact, as it is the most effective way of learning a
language. The aim of this study is upon these aspects, and to know the new challenges brought
by the pandemic disease COVID-19 for the English Language Teachers mainly when applying
the communicative language activities in the classrooms.

This research will apply qualitative method of study and it will focus on describing teachers’
activities during these times of COVID-19, at Coalane Secondary School. This research project
is structured in three chapters. The first chapter brings the introduction of the research. The
second chapter is about the literature review. The third and last chapter discusses the
methodologies to be applied on the research.
 4

1.2.Research topic
Due to the current pandemic situation (COVID-19) the researcher chose as topic for this study
English Language Teachers’ Challenges Using Communicative Language Approach during
COVID-19: A Case Study of Coalane Secondary School.

1.3.Delimitation of the topic

This research aims to discuss English Language Teachers Challenges in Pandemic Times,
looking at the implementation of Communicative Language Approach in language learning in
this COVID-
19 time. The study will be carried out at Coalane Secondary School, Zambézia Province,
Quelimane City.

1.4. Statement of the problem

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has quickly spread worldwide lately, has changed many issues
in people’s lives. Its remarkable consequence has altered many areas such as travelling,
education, economy, politics, health and others. The gigantic and speedy spread of the virus has
diseased millions and killed many people around the world. As a way of controlling the spread of
COVID- 19 many countries closed all institutions. Mozambique was one of these countries that
adopted this strategy. Among all these areas affected, education was closed from March up to
September.

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organizations) recommended

that educational institutions implement Virtual Teaching based on social distancing to avoid face
the pandemic times of COVID-19 (Fauzi &Angkasawati (2020). Online learning is a type of
learning system involving technological devices and without physical presence between the
teacher and learners (Allen & Seaman, 2007). The online learning needs an internet connection.
The teacher and learners stay in a virtual classroom learning together, at the same time.
However, not the same places. Numerous platforms can be and are being used include whatsapp,
zoom, Google classroom, Google meeting, Moodle, and others.

In Mozambique, for instance, online learning came as a problem rather than a solution due to
lack of technological devices at the schools to help the learners and the teacher, poor network
connection, lack of dominance on the use of the devices by the teachers, in some areas there is no
electricity and few numbers of learners have the electronic devices required for online lessons.
As solution, the Mozambican government reopened the education institutions respecting the
providences imposed to prevent COVID-19 spread.
 5

Meanwhile, the reopening of the schools brought new challenges for the schools, teachers and
learners as well. The schools were called to reduce the number of learners in the class for 25 for
each; this increased the number of classrooms significantly, the time that each lesson must take
was also reduced and the number of weekly lessons was drastically reduced, aspects that the
teachers try to compensate by using worksheets and hand-outs. All these changes impose new
challenges for the teachers. This might have negatively impacted the classroom communicative
activities since these activities require some time for their practice.

Now the problem for English teachers in Mozambique starts on the unavailability of IT
equipment to every learner; if there are these tools available, the number is very few, meanwhile,
the teacher may not be capable of using these tools because he is not familiarised. Furthermore,
the time is not enough to practice all or some relevant communicative activities suggested for
language teaching. From there, the researcher raised the following question: What are the new
challenges imposed on the English language teachers to promote communicative activities in
the current pandemic situation at Coalane Secondary General School?

1.5. Objectives
1.5.1. General objective
 To Demonstrate the challenges imposed to the English language teachers on
implementing communicative activities in the current pandemic situation at Coalane
Secondary General School;

1.5.2. Specific objectives

 To find out the methodologies being used by the teacher to implement communicative
activities in the current pandemic situation at Coalane Secondary General School;
 Identify the major difficulties being faced by the English language teachers implementing
communicative activities in the current pandemic situation at Coalane Secondary General
School;
 To propose some possible solution to minimise the problems faced by the English
language teachers on implementing communicative activities in the current pandemic
situation at Coalane Secondary General School;
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1.6. Research questions

 What are the major problems being faced by the English language teachers on promoting
communicative activities in the current pandemic situation?
 How do English language teachers promote communicative activities in the current
pandemic situation?
 How do technological tools aid in promoting communicative activities in the current
pandemic situation?
 What should be done to minimise the challenges faced by the English language teachers?

1.7.Rationale of the study

The researcher chose this topic due to the fact that since the beginning of 2020, things started
changing by the reason of the new Coronavirus all over the world. The education system was
challenged to make extra effort to face these pandemic times without having many negative
results. Teachers of English as part of this system of education are called to this mission.
However, this may be difficult for the fact that these pandemic times maintaining social
distancing is the basic way of preventing the spread of COVID-19 and many language activities
for language teaching and learning are based on interaction in the classroom as the
Communicative Language Teaching Approach (CLT) suggests.

This study may help society understanding how COVID-19 affected the teacher and the schools
in general since the aim of this research is to make a description concerning the current use of the
commutative approach in the classroom by the English language teachers. Hence, this study will
help teachers creating new creative ways of teaching the English language using communicative
activities during pandemic times or finding ways to compensate using activities that may require
less time.

The study contributes also significantly to society and scientific knowledge by the time it brings
relevant information about the current situation of language teaching impacted by the pandemic.
Socially, it is also important to study the aspect of language because it is part of the social
environment and it is also affected with social problems similar to this of COVID-19. In this
way, there is a need of finding better ways of teaching it in every situation.
 7

2. CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1. The teaching and learning process in Mozambique during COVID-19 times
The COVID‐19 pandemic has profoundly remodelled many characteristics of teaching and
learning all over the world. Many countries have adopted online lessons to continue with
classroom activities. This unexpected change from the traditional to the online method of
instruction has affected the quality of teaching and learning specifically in countries in which the
educational systems suffer from technological limitations. These technological conditions are
actually the primary prerequisite for ingoing the online learning environment. The educational
systems of some low to middle-income countries like Mozambique may be unsystematic due to
these limitations of internet access, connection problems, costly IT equipment, etc.

The online learning administration system needs to have appropriate and related training of all
the participants of the teaching-learning process as teachers and learners. In the online teaching
process, the whole participants commence simultaneously online, and the particular teacher
delivers the teaching material in the form of a lecture. All the participants of this process are
involved in the practice of information, discussion, question answering activity, etc. This is
assumed to be collaborative group-based learning. For this approach all the participants work as
a community of practice, sharing common concerns and discussion, says Wenger (1999).

Nevertheless, this collaborative group-based learning would not work in Mozambique for the
reason that not all the participants possess the required technological equipment, as was stated
before, the technological conditions are actually the primary prerequisite for ingoing the online
learning environment. The educational systems of some low to middle-income countries like
Mozambique may be unsystematic due to these limitations of internet access, connection
problems, costly IT equipment, etc.

Due to these important weaknesses, the closing of the educational institutions, and the
absenteeism of the face-to-face teaching and learning produced a negative impact. Many learners
do not carry on their learning activities outside the school as the teachers suggest in the
classroom environment. Schools are more than buildings for course teaching and learning instead
of centres of social activities in which they learn about human behaviours by interacting with one
another during the lessons ((Bansal & Joshi, 2014) in Fauzi &Angkasawati (2020).
 8

In this way, the reopening of schools in Mozambique was appropriate as online lessons would
not be effective in Secondary Schools. Moreover, language subjects such as Portuguese and
English (taught in secondary schools) need students and teachers to be together interacting, since
the main goal for these to subjects is to make the learners be able of communicating feely in
different social contexts, it is where the Communicative Language Teaching Approach plays an
essential role for language leaning mainly for the English subject, as it is taught as a foreign
language.

2.2. The Communicative Language Teaching Approach

The CLT approach is assumed to be the most effective theoretic perfect in English language
teaching since early 1970s. It points out the learner’s ability to communicate several purposes as
asking, answering, making requests, describing, narrating and comparing. Task assignment and
problem solving are their main operating means. It also stresses the fact that grammar is not
taught in isolation, error correction is de-emphasized favouring the theory that learners will
naturally develop accurate speech through frequent use.

Richards and Rodgers (2001, p. 170) say that Communicative Language Teaching is greatly
deliberated an approach sooner than a method. It refers to a diverse set of principles that reflect a
communicative interpretation of language and language learning and that can be used to sustain a
comprehensive diversity of classroom techniques.

Furthermore, according to Nunan (1991, p. 279) learners talk about personal experiences with
partners, and the teachers teach topics outside of the land of traditional grammar to stimulate
language skills for all situations. The method, furthermore, claims to encourage learners to
integrate their personal experiences into their language learning setting and to focus on the
learning experience, additionally to the learning of the target language.

In other words, Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) also called Communicative

Approach, is an approach to the teaching of second or foreign languages teaching/learning
highlights interaction and teamwork as the final aim of learning a language. It is. When the
learners use CLT activities learn and practice the target language by interactions with one
another and the teacher as well. In effect, awareness of a language is not merely the knowledge
of vocabulary grammar rules and pronunciation. Learners need to be competent to use the
language properly in any social context. Grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary are necessary
parts of effective communication, nevertheless, they can be acquired over time.
 9

Father more, for CLT, the aim of learning a language is to make the students express themselves
using the language effectively for real communicative necessities, instead of merely to deliver
learners with the knowledge about the grammar structure of the language, says Pham (2007, p.
195). In addition, Richards (2006) argues that the CLT involves learners to partake in
cooperative classroom activities instead of being involved in a personal approach to learning.
Being so, it is important to study ways of maintaining this approach in these pandemic times.

As for this approach, the goal of language teaching is the ability to communicate in the target
language; the role of the teacher is to be a facilitator of his students. He is meant to bring
suggestions to assist learners by providing them with frameworks, patterns, rules and feedbacks
to develop their communicative language abilities in the target language.

Moreover, this approach is considered the most effective when dealing with foreign or second
language teaching and learning. This study is important for the reason that it will bring an
understanding of the approach in a time that it may be difficult to apply in the schools and it may
contribute on the reflection of the teachers’ practices during COVID-19.

2.2.1. Principles of the Communicative Approach

 Language is learned to “communicate” using the language being learned;
 The language used to communicate must be suitable to the situation, (speakers’ roles,
setting and the register). The learner must be able of differentiating between a formal and
informal style of communication.
 Communicative activities are crucial. Activities must be presented in a situation or
context and have a communicative purpose. Activities of this approach are mainly:
games, problem-solving tasks, and role-play. There must be an information gap, choice
and feedback involved in the activities.
 Learners must have continuous interaction with and contact with the target language.
 Improvement of the four macro skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) is
assimilated from the beginning since communication incorporates the many skills.
 The topics are selected and arranged concerning age, needs, level, and students’ interests.
 Motivation is crucial. Teachers must promote students’ interest from the beginning of the
lesson.
 The teacher’s role is to be a guide, a facilitator, or an instructor.
 10

 Trial and error are assumed as part of the learning process.

 Assessment worries not only the learners’ accuracy, however, also their fluency.

2.2.2. CLT approach classroom activities

In the CLT approach, the teachers select classroom activities based on the effectiveness of it for
students developing communicative skills in the target language. Furthermore, oral activities are
prevalent among CLT activities. Richards (2006, p. 17) highlight the six activities are commonly
used in CLT classrooms:

 Role-play – Role-play is an oral activity typically in pairs/groups, whose key objective is

to improve students’ communicative skills in a certain setting;
 Interview – Interview is an oral activity done in pairs, whose key aim is to improve
students’ interactive skills;
 Group work – Group work is a collaborative activity whose purpose is to foster
communication in a larger group setting.
 Information gap – Information gap is a collaborative activity, whose purpose is to
effectively obtain information that was previously unknown to the students;
 Opinion sharing – Opinion sharing is an activity based on the content, with the aim of
engaging students’ conversational skills, while talking around a certain topic.
 Scavenger hunt – Scavenger hunt is a circulating activity that encourages open
interaction among students.

2.2.3. The Communicative Language Teaching Approach in Times of COVID-19

A teacher is a facilitator and monitor of learning for the CLT Approach, according to Larsen-
Freeman (2000). In CLT lessons, the teacher has to move from group to group to suggest advice,
answer questions, monitor learners’ performance and make notes regarding errors to be worked
on in accuracy-based activities at a later time. However, in the context of secondary school or
ESL learners, the time proposes for the lessons in the current time seems to do not be enough to
apply the communicative activities effectively. This poses difficulties for the teacher monitoring
the language performance of the students.

According to Richards (2006) CLT requires learners to participate in cooperative classroom

activities rather than be involved in an individualistic approach to learning and the role of the
 11

teacher is that of a facilitator to facilitate learners to improve fluency in using the target
language. Learners engage in meaningful interaction through classroom activities:

“…in which students must negotiate meaning, use

communication strategies, correct misunderstandings, and
work to avoid communication breakdowns…” (Richards,
2006, p. 14).

Therefore, online lessons in the Mozambican context may not be helpful when using this
approach in the sense that the teachers are concerned with the production of supplying material
rather than the communicative activities that are required for language development by the
learners. The semi- presential lessons adopted in the schools do not allow the CLT activities to
be implemented effectively by the teacher due to few presential classroom meetings. Moreover,
if the teachers try to implement the communicative activities in these conditions, the time as well
might not be enough and the techier might fail to fulfil the programmed number of lessons in a
certain term.

In the CLT teachers creativity is called to promote classroom interaction as (Kumaravadivelu,

2006) have pointed the aspect of creativity:

“…the creative, unpredictable, and purposeful use of

language as communication… to help the learners get ready
for so-called real-world communication outside the
classroom…” (2006, p. 61).

The author above suggests teachers be creative, creating situations that call the use of language
as communication. Teachers may use information gap activities, role plays, debates, drama
techniques and new classroom activities intended at creating and supporting learner motivation.
All these activities make part of the CLT approach for language teaching.

Nevertheless, as the researcher said before, the implantation of these activities requires time
since the teacher must control, monitor and organise the class during these activities. In addition,
it is required time also to provide feedbacks on the students’ performances. Due to COVID-19
the teachers do not have too much time to effectively make the students interact freely using
these activities.
 12

2.3. Using technological devices in promoting CLT approach activities

In normal face-to-face teaching sessions, students are seated in groups for the teacher to assign
tasks. The teacher may give verbal instructions and/or present the task or discussion questions
using slides and specify the time limit for each task or discussion. Each learner is arranged a role
by preference or through the drawing of cards, which offers them an element of astonishment.

Taci (2020, p.19) has found that teachers and researchers have contributed a lot of papers on the
positive effects that technology such: video projectors, computers, TV sets, CD players,
interactive boards had on English teaching as aids for language lessons. In language teaching and
learning, it was assumed that language is learned by interacting and discussing. The use of
technology (mobile phones, computers, interactive boards, etc.) and worksheets/hand-outs was
always considered a supplementary instrument and not as the first and central means of sharing
and acquiring knowledge, mainly in communicative activities that require interaction among the
learners.

Moreover, some researchers have shown that lessons based on technological devices brought
difficulties and problems for the learners and the teachers as well. Furthermore, Ahmad (2016) in
his study found that EFL learning requires much practice for its use and at the same time faces
complications when the learning system is applied. It is not easy to control the class, mainly to
avoid cheating the tests, the problems of the network connection may interrupt the lessons. In
classroom discussion, for instance, the teacher has to control the class to have a productive
discussion.

As CLT needs interactive pair or group work, the key challenge concerns how to use the IT tools
for online sessions to facilitate such interactions with no face-to-face sessions allowed due to the
need to increase physical distancing. More challenges can be seen when compared to face-to-
face discussions and online discussions. Wang and Woo (2007) explain the way in which face-
to-face discussions are most probable to involve more interactions than online discussions and
the interaction is more multidirectional in terms of other members:

“Making complementary remarks, comments, or

clarifications at the same time. The discussion process is
more interactive and goes in multiple ways. Nevertheless,
the online discussions are more restricted and tend to be
more one-way” (p. 283).
 13

Beside these, Shahzad et al. (2020, p.4) says there are several problems of virtual Teaching, as a
teacher and learners interaction and vice-versa, learner to learner interaction, different and poor
classroom environment, technical problems, unavailability of IT equipment to every learner,
proper and relevant training of virtual Teaching and learning to teachers and the learners, lack of
monitoring of the classroom, improper questioning answering, etc.

Johnson et al. (2000) talk about how face-to-face communication permitting different channels of
communication with nonverbal information such as tone of voice, motion and facial expression
are favoured overall shapes of online-mediated communication in their lessons. In addition, for
the concrete case of Mozambique, the internet also does not help too much, the schools are not
equipped for this type of teaching and learning process. Meanwhile, here little number of
students have the technological tools to be online. In this perspective, the teacher prefers to
provide worksheets, hand-outs, far from the needed activities suggested for the language lessons.
This might be helpful for some activities, however, the CLT activities are left apart.
 14

3. CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGIES

3.1. Research methodologies
As Gil (2008; p.20) has already pointed out that the methodology represents a rational procedure
and ordered constituted by an instrument that implies used experimentation to proceed along the
way to reach the pre-established objectives in the research, involving resources, techniques,
procedures, etc. This chapter presents the main methodological aspects that will help to answer
the research questions and this involves: methods to be used in the study; the target population of
the research and the sample; the instruments and techniques to be used for data collection and
ethical care.

The study adopted qualitative research method, which will help in collecting significant
information by exploring and understanding teachers’ belief towards the topic in discussion, so
as to comprehend the challenges faced by them when applying communicative activities for
language teaching in these pandemic times. Not only qualitative, it will also be used descriptive
and analytical approach that will be relevant for describing and analysing the aspects that will be
observed on the field, not only that, but also to provide a deep understanding of the phenomenon
being observed.

3.1.1. Qualitative method

This method is understood by Gil (2008, p.94) a method aimed at helping researchers to
understand people and their social, cultural and institutional contexts”. This will be very helpful
for the topic since its topic is related to social, cultural and institutional contexts. William (2007)
goes along with this view of collecting information from a group of people:

“Qualitative research is a set of techniques, used frequently

in social science and marketing, in which data are obtained
from a relatively small group of respondents and are not
analysed with statistical techniques. It involves detailed,
verbal descriptions of characteristics, cases, and settings,
and it uses observation, interviewing, and document review
as source for collecting data” (p.3).
 15

It is to be assumed that with a qualitative approach of research, the researcher makes a verbal
descriptions of characteristics of the sample. As qualitative research is based on values, beliefs,
representations, habits, attitudes and opinions, it will be helpful to study the teachers’
perspectives upon the use of communicative activities in the classroom during COVID-19
restrictions. In addition, its main advantage is the ability to bring out new aspects that the schools
are facing during this period of pandemic.

3.1.2. Descriptive method

Descriptive Research consists of describing the characteristics of certain populations or observed
phenomena. One of its peculiarities is the use of standardized data collection techniques that
allow the individual to describe themselves, such as systematic observation, interview,
anamnesis that imply the collection of information such as age, sex, origin, education,
profession, marital status , lived experiences (Gil, 2008). With this method, the researcher
intends to describe the characteristics of the current English language lessons occurrence during
the pandemic time.

3.1.3. Analytical method

The analytical investigation is centred on the analysis of the meaning that the individuals give to
the phenomena and the experiences of life, it proves to be the most suitable for the development
of this type of study. Analytical and interpretative research confronts the results, places the
central interest in human meaning, in social life, in the elucidation and exposure on the part of
the researcher (Gil, 2008). This method will contribute to the interpretation of the data that will
be found in the field related to the challenges imposed to the teachers during this period of
COVID- 19.

3.1.4. Data collection instruments and techniques

The researcher has chosen techniques that might be helpful for retrieving information on the
field, since this instruments determine the effectiveness of the data collection process. According
to Rudio (1986, p.114) the research instrument is used to collect data, that is, it is effectively
instituted what will be used in the development of the study to obtain the information relevant to
the work. The instruments to be used for data collection will be interview, observation and
questionnaire.

 Observation - Marconi and Lakatos (2003, p. 190) define observation as a data

collection technique to obtain information and use the senses to obtain certain aspects of
reality. It is not just about seeing and hearing, but also about examining facts or
 16
phenomena that to be
 17

studied. With this data collection technique, the researcher intends to have relevant data
upon the topic brought in this research.

This technique will help the researcher to not only be based on what is said, but also with
body language such as gestures, emotions through facial expression. Where the
researcher observes and records students’ and teacher’s behaviour, not attempting to
change it in any way. From this technique the researcher hopes to understand the
occurrence of English language lessons, mainly to see how the CLT activities are carried
out during COVID-19 times.
 Interview - Gil (1999, p. 117) conceptualizes the interview as a form of social
interaction. More specifically, it is a form of asymmetric dialogue, in which one party
seeks to collect data and the other presents itself as a source of information. Through this
direct contact, the researcher intends to obtain data related to the topic by interviewing
the teachers at Coalane Secondary General School. An instrument based on open-ended
questions used to explore and understand relevant opinion of the participants upon the
research topic and research problem.

3.1.5. Universe
The universe or target population consist of the total number of the people of beings to be
studied, as Marconi and Lakatos (2003) have said, universe or population is the set of animated
or inanimate beings that have at least one characteristic in common. The Universe or research
population is the total number of individuals that have the needed characteristics of the study.
For this study, the universe has been formed by eighty-sever (87) teachers in exercise at Coalane
Secondary General School, in Quelimane.

3.1.6. Sample
When it comes to sample is when there has been chosen a certain number of being that will
represent the population in the research and according to Vergara (2010), sample or sample
population is a part of the universe chosen according to some criterion of representativeness. The
sample is a part of the chosen universe selected based on a criterion of representativeness. For
this research the sampling includes certain elements of the population constituted by five (5)
teachers, being them teachers of English (men only, because there were no women teaching
English in the target school).
 18

3.1.7. Procedures
In this research, the researcher intends to use bibliographical technique, interviews and
observation to collect data. The bibliographical technique will consist of reading recourse related
to the topic already published. This process will be carried out by the researcher to get informed
about the relevant information from the chosen topic.

As stated before, the research will be conducted at Coalane Secondary General School, in
Quelimane City and collection of data will take two weeks from the month that the researcher
will take to conclude the entire research. On the field, the interview will consist of interaction
with the sample, with guiding questions to find out the facts related to the topic with the aim of
knowing the difficultness that the teachers might be facing to implement the communicative
language activities.

The teachers’ interviews will be audio-recorded and transcribed immediately after the interview.
Both audio recording and note taking will be used during the teachers’ interview. Recorded
interviews will be transcribed immediately. Patterns or themes that will be identified during
interviews with teachers will be validated by attempting to corroborate the information with
patterns and themes that will be identified from analysis of interviews with other teachers.

In Observation, it will be direct observation privileging if in the sense organs (vision and
hearing) to collect and understand the aspects in research, without interference, the researcher
will only observe the daily lessons English subject at Coalane Secondary General School, in
Quelimane. Here, the researcher aims to see if the communicative activities are implemented in
these times, if yes, how they are those activities being implemented by the teachers.

3.1.8. Ethical issues

The research will be in charge of a credential that will allow him to conduct the research
following the rules of the institution involved, recommendation that will be given. Also, with
regard to ethical aspects, the researcher will make a selection through volunteers who will apply
for the research, who will play the role of informants. The informants will be coded using
numbers (teacher 1, 2, 3… Full consent should be obtained from the participants prior to the
study. The safeguard of the confidentiality of research participants will be guaranteed.
 19

3.1.9. Resources
By resources it is meant the available materials that can help to fulfil the researcher’s goals.

 Human - In order to collect data for this research, several human resources must be
involved, from the researcher, four (4) people, the researcher and the three teachers.
 Materials - The materials to be used in this research are: a personal computer, printer,
textbooks, library services, notepad, A4 paper, Pen, audio recorder, transport:
motorcycle.

3.2.Budget
Materials Quantity Unitary Amount Sub-Total Amount
A4 Paper 20 1 MT 20 MT
Pen 2 10 MT 20 MT
Ruler 1 15 MT 15 MT
Transport: motorcycle Fuel 75MT/litter 750 MT
Library services At Unilicungo
Printing services 4 or 5 copies of 40 pages 2MT/Pag/ 700 MT
Meal 1 Person 50 MT/day 700 MT
Audio Recorder Mobile phone
Total Amount 2400 MT

3.3.Chronogram
Time 1st Month (June) 2nd Month 3rd Month
(July) (August)
Activities
Elaboration of the project X
Bibliographic searches X
Going to the field X

Observation X
Interview X
Data analysis and interpretation X
 20

4. References
Allen, I. E., & Seaman, J. (2007). Online Nation: Five Years of Growth in Online Learning.
Newburyport, MA.: ERIC.

Celce-Murcia, M (2014) An Overview of Language Teaching Method Approaches. in M. Celce-

Murcia, D. M. Brinton & M.a. Snow “Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language” (4th
Ed.) Boston, MA.

Fauzi, I. & Angkasawati, P. (2019). The Use of Listening Logs Through WhatsApp in Improving
Listening Comprehension of EFL students. Journal of Applied Linguistics and Literature, vol.4
(1), 13-26.

Gil, A. C. (2008). Como Métodos e técnicas de pesquisa social. São Paulo: Atlas,

Gil, A. C. (1999). Métodos e técnicas de pesquisa social. 5. ed. São Paulo: Atlas.

Kumaravadivelu, B. (2006). TESOL methods: Changing tracks, challenging trends. TESOL

Quarterly, 40 (1), 59-81.

Larsen-Freeman, D. (2000). Techniques and principles of language teaching (2nd Ed.). Oxford,
UK: Oxford University Press.

Marconi, M. de A. e Lakatos, E. M. (2003). Fundamentos de metodologia científica. 5 ed. São

Paulo: Atlas.

Nunan D. (1991). Language Teaching Methodology a Textbook for Teachers. Hemel Hempstead:
Prentice Hall.

Pham H. H. (2007). Communicative language teaching: Unity within diversity. ELT Journal,
61(3), 193-201.

Richards, J. C. (2006). Communicative language teaching today. Cambridge: Cambridge

University Press.

Richards, J., & Rodgers, T. (2001). Approaches and methods in language teaching. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.

Rudio, F. V. (1986). Introdução ao projeto de pesquisa científica. Petrópolis: Vozes.

 21

Shahzad, S. K. et al. (2020). Impact of Virtual Teaching on ESL Learners' Attitudes under Covid-
19 Circumstances at Post Graduate Level in Pakistan. English Language Teaching: Canadian
Center of Science and Education. Vol. 13, No. 9. ISSN 1916-4750.

Taci, J. (2020). Teaching English as a Foreign Language in Pandemic Times. European Journal
of EducationVol. 3, 3. ISSN 2601-8624.

UNESCO. Closing Schools Has Derailed the Lives of Kids All Over the World. Here’s How We
Can Help Them Keep Learning. Available online: https://en.unesco.org/news/closing-schools-
has- derailed-lives-kidsall-over-world-heres-how-we-can-help-them-keep-learning (accessed on
20 April 2021).

Wang, Q., & Woo, H. L. (2007). Comparing asynchronous online discussions and face-to-face
discussions in a classroom setting. British Journal of Educational Technology, 38(2), 272-286.

Wenger, E. (1999). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity: Cambridge

university press. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511803932.

William, J, M, et all. (2007). Qualitative Data Collection and Analysis Methods: The Instinct Trial.
 22

5. APPENDICES
5.1.Appendices 1: Lesson Observation Checklist Code:

English Language Teachers’ Challenges Using Communicative Language Approach

during COVID-19: A Case Study of Coalane Secondary School, Quelimane City

Lesson Observation Checklist

School:
Grade: Stream: Subject: Duration
Unit:
Topic:
Date: / /2021
Observer:
Communicative activities were implemented Frequency
Order Activities Always Sometimes Never
1 Introductory
During the lesson
In the end
Follow up
In another part (online)
2 Activities Frequency
Always Sometimes Never
Group activities
Role plays

Opinion sharing

Information gap
Interview
 23

Other types
3. Notes

Quelimane: / /2021
 24

Code:
5.2.Appendices 2: Interview Guider for the sample

English Language Teachers’ Challenges Using Communicative Language Approach

during COVID-19: A Case Study of Coalane Secondary School, Quelimane City

Interview Guider for Teachers

School:
Date: / /2021
Interviwer:
This interview as a purpose of collecting data about the exclusive use of English in the classroom, in the Mozambican Gene
From now, the researcher expresses gratitude for your collaboration!

1. Personal Information
1.1. Age: Sex
1.2. The teaching class/es
2. The use of communicative language activities in the classroom
2.1. Do you know about communicative language activities for ELT?
2.2. Have you ever used communicative language activities?
2.3. Is it possible to use communicative language activities during COVID-19?
2.4. Do you still use communicative language activities now, in pandemic times?
2.5. If yes, how? If no, why?
2.6. What are the challenges/problems that you face when teaching using communicative
language activities in COVID-19 times?
2.7. What strategies do you apply to when using communicative language activities in
COVID-19 times?
2.8. Are technological devices helping you to apply communicative language activities?
2.9. What is your suggestion to maintain the communicative language activities in English
language lessons?